Principal Update

We have a very quiet senior area of the school with 53 Year 5/6 students at Ski Camp. They arrived safely and had their first taste of skiing yesterday and in Shane’s words “they were all awesome!” There are many parents and staff to thank for this camp which is very high risk and as such takes a lot of planning and preparation before it can run. Each ski group has two adults and the groups are kept to 8 or less students. The food is all supplied by the families and the entertainment/ games at night are organised by the parent helpers. In addition, the teachers are responsible for the ski groups, the timetable, communication, logistics, night time, medications and ensuring every student has dry gear to wear the next day. This is the most complex camp we run. I would like to personally thank the parents who have given up a week of work/ leave to support this camp. I would also like to thank Shane and Jessie who have done most of the organising and Deborah and Natalie who have also given up their week to ensure this camp can go ahead and runs smoothly. They will all arrive back on Friday night exhausted but exhilarated by their achievements.

Our youngest students will celebrate 100 Days of School next week. They are encouraged to dress-up and bring a small plate of food to share to mark this milestone. Well done to Claire, Alice and Chiara who have worked tirelessly to spend the first 100 days creating the best learning experiences for our students. Well done to the parents who have settled into school routines and now have a deeper understanding of the teaching and learning at APS. 

We have reached the cut off date for Prep enrolments 2025. At this stage we will again have three classes which is fantastic. We have a wait list with many families out of the zone wanting to join us. We will be sending the letter of offer out in the next few days which is to confirm places, after which we will offer places to those waiting. It is testament to our amazing students and to the learning opportunities we offer to have so many families keen to join us. 

The 3 Way Conference booking system will open this afternoon. There are more details later in this newsletter. Please also refer to Alan's Compass post for directions on how to book. Our 3 Way Conferences are an important way to connect with Parents, Students and Teachers in attendance. We value the oppurtunity to share and reflect on the students work this year. It is also a time to set new goals for the rest of the year. TheirCare will be open on this day so please contact them directly to book in.

We have 5 students returning home from Somer's Camp today. We look forward to hearing about their experiences over the next few days and will share their highlights in future newsletters. Welcome home to those 5 students. 

We have the Year 3-6 Athletics carnival next Wednesday @ Collingwood Harriers track. This event requires the support of parents to help with timing, data entry and measuring with field events. Natalie is seeking parent support and asks that if you are available to please email her: Natalie.ognenis@education.vic.gov.au

Have a lovely week

Melissa Mackenzie 

Principal